Being in America

Sixty Years of the Metaphysical Society

Series:

Since its founding in 1950, the Metaphysical Society of America has remained a pluralistic community dedicated to rigorous philosophical inquiry into the most basic metaphysical questions. At each year’s conference, the presidential address offers original insights into metaphysical questions. Both the insights and the questions are as perennial as they are relevant to contemporary philosophers.
This volume collects eighteen of the finest representatives from those presidential addresses, including contributions from George Allan, Richard Bernstein, Norris Clarke, Vincent Colapietro, Frederick Ferré, Jorge J. E. Gracia, Joseph Grange, Marjorie Grene, George Klubertanz, Ivor Leclerc, Ralph McInerny, Ernan McMullin, Joseph Owens, John Herman Randall, Jr., Nicholas Rescher, Stanley Rosen, John E. Smith, and Robert Sokolowski. Also included are Paul Weiss’s inaugural address to the Society, an introduction chronicling the history of the Society, and an original Foreword by William Desmond and Epilogue by Robert Neville.

Table of contents

List of Figures
Richard T. Hull:
Editorial ForewordWilliam Desmond:
Guest Foreword: Being in America: On Metaphysics and the Metaphysical Society of AmericaAcknowledgmentsBrian G. Henning and David Kovacs:
IntroductionPart One: The Question of MetaphysicsPaul Weiss:
The Four-fold Art of Avoiding QuestionsGeorge Klubertanz:
The Problem of the Analogy of BeingW. Norris Clarke:
The Self as Source of Meaning in MetaphysicsJoseph Owens:
Reality and MetaphysicsMarjorie Grene:
Merleau-Ponty and the Renewal of OntologyRichard J. Bernstein:
Metaphysics, Critique, and UtopiaRobert Sokolowski:
The Question of BeingStanley Rosen:
Is Metaphysics Possible?Ralph McInerny:
The Science We are SeekingFrederick Ferré:
The Practicality of MetaphysicsPart Two: The Question of KnowledgeErnan McMullin:
Two faces of ScienceJorge J. E. Gracia:
Are Categories Invented or Discovered? A Response to FoucaultNicholas Rescher:
Textuality, Reality, and the Limits of KnowledgePart Three: The Question of LanguageJohn Herman Randall, Jr.:
Metaphysics and LanguageJohn E. Smith:
Being, Immediacy and ArticulationVincent Colapietro:
Striving to Speak in a Human Voice: A Peircean Contribution to Metaphysical DiscoursePart Four: The Question of the GoodIvor Leclerc:
The Metaphysics of the GoodGeorge Allan:
Perishable GoodsJoseph Grange:
The Generosity of the GoodRobert C. Neville:
The Legacy and FutureAppendix A:
Bibliography of Presidential Addresses of the Metaphysical Society of America 1952–2010Index